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I submit this because Allen was always intimidating for me, until I actually did it.
Someoes else had a Summit Post that I used parts of.
Hopefully this will take some of the mystic away from summitting Allen for others.

Drive to the Trailhead at Upper Works by going down Route 28N.
The Road to Upper Works is about 5 mi. East of the Town Hall on Newcomb on the North side of Route 28N.
The road you are looking for is called Blue Ridge Road, if your coming from the West on 28N you can take Eaton Lane, which is a seasonal road that cuts into Blue Ridge Road in less than ¼ mile.
After about ½ mile on this road your first left will be Tahawus Road. There should be High Peaks signs.
I remember one of the turns has the High Peaks sign about 100 yards before the turn, so that was a little confusing.
After about 6 miles turn left at the fork, not straight which goes across a bridge over the Hudson.
Again, there should be a sign for the High Peaks.
You will pass a large stone furnace on the right.
About ½ mile or less after the Furnace is the parking lot on the right and this is where the Trailhead (Yellow Trail) starts.
If you go too far you reach another Upper Works parking lot and the end of the road.

Special Note: In May 2009 the bridge over the Opalescent river was out. There was a place to ford marked with survey tape downstream, but I would not want to try this if the water was high. It was only kneed deep on 5/21/2009. We did okay barefoot, but sandals would have been nice.

This was a 12 hour trip in a pretty hot (85 F) May day for two 50 year old hikers in pretty good shape, …at least we think so ;-0.

Here is a point by point guide that I used with comments added

1.Trailhead starts near Upper Works
2.Start following the Yellow Trail Markers.
3.Cross the Hudson on a sturdy suspension bridge.
4.Cross causeway-bridge crossing an arm of Jimmy Lake. Was a little busted up on 5/21/09 at one end on 5/21/09, but no one got wet!
5.Trail soon starts to follow old and newer roads
6.Pass by two derelict shacks and turns sharp right.
7.Hike on rough gravel roads, mostly on the flat.
8.Trail joins up and follows a fairly recent road on the north banks of the lower Opalescent river.
9.After some time along this road, look for the flags that mark what “used to be” a suspension bridge crossing the Opalescent, but is not marking the ford, as in wet feet, across.
10.From there is a bit of forest walking, and emerge into an area of old clearcut/blowdown. Some notes online had people complaining this area as “soggy mess”, but the clearcut was probably 8-9 years ago after Hurricane Floyd and has a lot of fresh growth that may be sopping up the water, as it really wasn’t any wetter than any other parts of the trail.
11.After a while you come to the end of the Yellow Trail Markers (not really, but more on that in a sec) At this point there are two Large Carved Wooden Signs that you have to be blind and drunk to miss. One points left to the trail going up to Flowed Lands (and says 'Marcy'), and the other points right and says 'Allen'. Obviously, go right.
12.From here the route is officially trailless, but at this point is still well-marked with Yellow Markers… for a ways!
13.It proceeds for a bit until hitting another maintained road, at which point you turn left and walk for just a couple of hundred feet before turning right into a small gravel pit. There is a trail at the back end. There is no sign, but you can’t miss the trail if you go straight back to the middle of the pit. Someone had two carns marking the trail that you could see as you came to the pit (and here there is another 'Allen' sign).
14.At the far side of the gravel pit the route continues.
15.This is the part of the trail where the Yellow Markers disappear. You really have to be observant from here until you get to Allen Brook !!! (I would recommend flagging your way in and removing the flags on the way out).
16.Eventually the route passes over a small pass and then heads back down towards Skylight Brook.
17.The route winds its way down, crossing one smallish brook before reaching Skylight brook, then crosses it.
18.Soon after Skylight brook the trail turns sharply left and follows the brook upstream (although somewhat away from it) until Allen brook is reached. Note that you will not reach the intersection of Allen Brook with Skylight Brook.
19.At this point, the trail follows Allen Brook uphill increasingly steeper and at times on either side of the brook. There are occasional open areas on the brook that can be climbed as well.
20.There is some steep slides that require you to stay on the paths.
21.Near the top, the brook kind of runs out then it turns into a very distinct path up to the summit ridge of Allen.
22.A short walk along this summit ridge and your are at the top.
23.Another 300 feet and it drops down a bit to a cleared area for great views of Marcy, Haystack, etc.

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